Busy Council Meeting Includes Matters Involving New Housing Development and Funding of Recreation Complex

There was plenty of audience chatter as 7 p.m. approached and City Council members adjourned from work session and took their seats in Council chambers. After prayer by Pastor Sam Schwenk and the Pledge of Allegiance, Mayor Andy Lang shared a few words with those who gathered for Monday night's meeting before delving into the agenda.

“As you drive around, you see a lot of exciting things going on,” he said. “There’s a new Johnson Elementary going up and it seems there’s a new White Oaks business opening about every week. We’re going to have a new recreation center and we’re hoping to get an announcement out at either the next Council meeting or the one to follow. We’re getting closer every day.”

Community Development Director Randy Spellman reported on an alley abandonment as requested by resident, Jim Devericks, who plans to build a new home on the property which runs parallel to Broadway Avenue. With no utilities involved or other issues and completion of a required public hearing, Council unanimously voted to proceed with necessary documentation.

The first of three recognitions slated for Monday's meeting involved a certificate of appreciation presented to Council by George Murray of the Small Business Administration. Murray said on behalf of the SBA, he wanted to thank the City of Bridgeport for its participation in Small Business Saturday, slated for Nov. 25.

Council also declared Nov. 13 Bridgeport High School DECA Day. Teacher Trina Runner and several of her students were on hand to receive the proclamation read and presented by Mayor Lang. In part, the proclamation said that DECA is beneficial for student members as they gain valuable experiences traveling, competing with other DECA groups, attending leadership conferences and working with business leaders. Not only do students benefit from participating in DECA, but the community benefits from partnering with the student organization, Lang said.

Lang also read and presented a proclamation declaring November as Pancreatic Cancer Month. Receiving the proclamation was Councilman Jeff Smell, who had been asked to stand in for Annette Fetty Santilli, who couldn’t be at tonight’s meeting.

The final recognition was a first, said Police Chief John Walker, who along with Lt. John Post presented pens and plaques to Bridgeport Police Department’s Troy Rutherford, Dave Janssen and Mike Hammond, as well as DNR Officer Ben Riley. Though not in attendance, Harrison County Process Server Maria Watson-Bourgeois was also recognized. Walker explained the July 18 incident behind the awards.

“Officers Rutherford, Janssen and Hammond were dispatched to Lodgeville Road Bridge after a report of a young male, who was distraught and contemplating suicide. Upon arrival, they found a young male sitting at the edge of the bridge, his legs dangling over the edge and stating he was going to jump,” Walker said. “Maria Watson-Bourgeois, who is a Harrison County process server, was going by and stopped. Upon the officers’ arrival, she had started negotiations and communication with the individual, trying to calm him down and reverse his thought process. Once the officers arrived, Officer Hammond – who is a trained negotiator with our police department – immediately went into dialog with this individual. While Officer Hammond continued negotiations with the individual, Officers Rutherford, Janssen and Hammond were strategizing how to save the individual from jumping off the bridge should negotiations fail. After a few minutes, it became obvious that the situation was deteriorating as the individual became distressed, moving his hands from a reverse holding on position to a forward pushing off position. Realizing the escalating emergency of the situation, the officers moved into a position to take control of the young male from pushing off the bridge which would have likely led to his death. Being distracted by Officer Hammond’s attempt to communicate with him, Officers Rutherford, Janssen and Hammond successfully grabbed the male and pulled him off the edge of the bridge and back on the pavement of the bridge, at which time they notified Bridgeport Fire/EMS who responded and transported the individual to the hospital.”

Though Monday was the first time the life-saving award had been presented, it is not the first time a Bridgeport police officer has saved a life. Moving forward, Walker said he hopes to make up for that.

Andy Mills spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. Representing Heritage Christian School, she enlightened Council that the private school has undergone a fundraising campaign to upgrade its playground facilities.

“We need a larger play structure with imaginative play areas and we want to incorporate natural elements,” she said. “We’d also like to do as survey with our students, asking what they like about our current playground and what they don’t like.”

Though Heritage Christian is a private school, it is a big part of the community, Mills said. The gym is utilized for Jerry West and Bridgeport Parks and Recreation youth basketball leagues and is also available for public use. The school building also houses a church which meets there weekly, she said. Those who would like to donate can visit the project’s Go Fund Me page. Mayor Lang said Council will look into the matter.

A number of agenda items related to the annexation and rezoning of about 45 acres located just outside city limits and included in property to be developed by owners Beau Henderson and Rhea Dyer into a residential subdivision. The property is accessible from Route 50 via Corpening Drive or from Platinum Drive.

“(The property owners) requested by petition that we bring the property into city limits so the entire project will be inside city limits,” Spellman said. “So, tonight we present the request to Council and if in agreement, we’ll begin the paperwork.”

The future home of the residential subdivision is accessible from Route 50 via Corpening Drive or from Platinum Drive.

In West Virginia, Spellman explained, property annexed into city limits is zoned for its present use or its intended use.

“Since we’re putting together this project for its intended use – R1 residential – it will come in under R1,” Spellman said.

Council also heard a report and recommendation by Bridgeport Planning Commission to rezone that property and the portion of the property located in city limits. Council received the report favorably and now ordinances will be drafted and after two readings, the zoning map will be changed.

The governing body also voted unanimously to approve a pair of resolutions authorizing Lang to enter into agreements with the Division of Justice & Community Services to receive and administer Justice Assistance Grants; one in the amount of $18,000 to use toward Bridgeport’s Police Resource Officer “PRO” position and one in the amount of $41,400 to be utilized by the Drug Task Force.

The last item of business relates to funding of the city’s indoor and outdoor recreation complex. Councilor Bob Greer moved that obligations incurred to finance the complex be tied and allocated to the city sales and use tax fund for the construction of the municipal indoor and outdoor recreation complex and that the director of finance be authorized to pay such obligations, such as architectural and engineering fees, consulting fees and other obligations.

“We have awarded contracts for architectural and engineering and other consulting services relating to the indoor and outdoor recreation complexes located off Route 131 and we have instituted a sales tax for the collection and use on these properties,” Greer said. “It is necessary to make a motion in connection with those two items so there’s no question that we are authorized to pay for services being rendered from those funds and that those obligations will be limited to collection of city sales and tax use funds.”